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- Music, Music Review Mar 19, 2021
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Chicago rapper-producer Tree extends his winning streak with Soul Trap
- Music, Music Feature May 12, 2020
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Naledge brings his rapper’s brain back to academia
Jabari “Naledge” Evans of Kidz in the Hall talks about his doctoral dissertation, incorporating hip-hop into education, the drill scene hacking the industry, and more.
- Music, Music Feature Jan 30, 2020
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The best Chicago albums of the 2010s: the critics’ ballots
Here’s where to see who voted for what and how the points got divvied up.
- Music, Music Feature Jan 30, 2020
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The best Chicago albums of the 2010s
The Reader polled dozens of critics to arrive at an absolutely indisputable ranked list of several hundred records that will definitely not start any arguments.
- Music, Music Feature Nov 27, 2019
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Gifts to teach hip-hop heads their history
Each of these reissues helps unfold a different chapter in the rich narrative of the Chicago scene.
- Blogs, Bleader Jun 4, 2018
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Vlogger ZackTV devoted his life to making Chicago’s fractious rap scene into one community
Zack Stoner, who was shot to death, documented every unseen corner of Chicago hip-hop.
- Music, The Block Beat Apr 12, 2018
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Tink remembers the trial by fire that launched her career
The crowds at Adrianna’s wouldn’t rock for just anybody, but as a Calumet City teenager she won them over with a mix of drill rap and R&B.
- Blogs, Bleader Nov 2, 2017
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Fake Shore Drive founder Andrew Barber on ten years of blogging and the evolution of the Chicago hip-hop scene
Fake Shore Drive has grown alongside Chicago rap, becoming an institution in its own right—and it celebrates its tenth anniversary by reuniting Big Tymers for a show at the Portage.
- Blogs, Bleader Nov 23, 2016
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Brooklyn MC Chelsea Reject invokes the memory of Sandra Bland on a track with Chicago hip-hop’s new dream team
Chelsea Reject's "Counterfeit," which features Chicago hip-hop dream team Noname, Saba, and Phoelix, came out Monday via 119 Productions.
- Music, Gossip Wolf Nov 1, 2016
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Eat chili to help the Arts of Life Band release their first album
Plus: Postpunks Ganser continue a busy 2016 with a new EP, Konstantin Jace of Moritat spins 78s all month at the Peninsula, and more.
- Blogs, Bleader Nov 1, 2016
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Veteran Chicago hip-hop producer DJ Rude One on leaving music making—and coming back to make his new album
DJ Rude One, formerly of Single Minded Pros, returns after a decade away from music making with Closed Sessions' release of the full-length Onederful.
- Blogs, Bleader Jul 29, 2016
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Dividing Chicago hip-hop into ‘Chance and friends’ and ‘the drill scene’ insults its richness and variety
Stereogum's recent survey of Chicago hip-hop gets a lot of things wrong, but it also serves as a reminder of how much there is to discover here.
- Blogs, Bleader Dec 9, 2015
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A Chicago street film calls out Chi-Raq over its portrayal of local hip-hop
Trust None, a 2004 Chicago street film that finally saw proper release last month, captures the local hip-hop scene better than Chi-Raq.
- Blogs, Bleader Oct 14, 2015
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Twilite Tone forms a Chicago-rap dream team in an effort to end gun violence
The veteran local rap producer recruits a bevy of Chicago MCs to record "Put the Guns Down."
- Blogs, Bleader Oct 7, 2015
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King Louie and Mic Terror reimagine Drake and Future's hit 'Jumpman'
Two great Chicago rappers take on the runaway hit from Drake and Future's recent collaborative album, What a Time to Be Alive.
- Blogs, Bleader Sep 9, 2015
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West-side rapper Yung Stakks is a good reason to get to Oreo Fest early on Saturday
Yung Stakks joins King Louie, Save Money, Katie Got Bandz, Hurt Everybody, and several other great locals at Thalia Hall this weekend for a mini festival celebrating DJ Oreo's birthday.
- Blogs, Bleader May 27, 2015
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King Louie and Mick Jenkins manipulate time with their new music
The Chicago rappers seem to alter time on some of their new material.
- Blogs, Bleader Apr 8, 2015
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The unexpected appeal of 'Faneto,' Chief Keef's slow-growing underground hit
The song has become a cult hit since Keef dropped it in early October.
- Blogs, Bleader Feb 4, 2015
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Ascending Englewood rapper Spenzo gets closer to the top with new song 'Effortlessly'
The newest track from the the forthcoming Ahead Of My Time mixtape makes the MC's rise seem like a lock.
- Music, Gossip Wolf Nov 5, 2014
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Local label Maximum Pelt throws a release party for three of its bands
Plus: London dance imprint Lobster Theremin reissues Chicago Jim, and Teklife producer Boylan drops a bunch of new tracks.
- Blogs, Bleader Sep 18, 2014
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Surveying Chicago hip-hop's growing digital catalog a week after U2's ambitious album release
Let U2's Songs of Innocence guide you to discover more music, including Leekeleek's recent Still Geekin mixtape.
- Blogs, Bleader Aug 20, 2014
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Prepare for Friday's Super Fiesta and catch up on all things bop related
Now's a good time to catch up on the latest releases from S.B.E., M.B.E., Breezy Montana, Dlow, and King Kemo.
- Blogs, Bleader Aug 12, 2014
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Twista talks about his new album, The Dark Horse
The Chicago hip-hop veteran chats about what inspired the title of his new album, working with rising local rappers, and getting involved in the community.
- Blogs, Bleader Jul 23, 2014
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Common comes home to a different Chicago on Nobody's Smiling
On his tenth album the MC who helped put Chicago's scene on the map delivers a grim, uneven, and occasionally compelling portrait of inner-city violence.
- Blogs, Bleader Jul 9, 2014
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King Louie addresses his life in Chicago with Tony
The southeast-side rapper occupies a desirable but peculiar position in Chicago's hip-hop community, though that doesn't appear to bear much influence on the music that's made him a face of the scene.
